Cardio vs. Strength Training

GlynisH

Which are you supposed to do first? For years, I've been told to do strength first. I just read an article in fitness magazine that said to do cardio first, but didn't explain why. So which do you do first? Why?

anubis609

This and the related articles may help you.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/338492-cardio-exercises-before-strength-training/

redwngs13

I like to warm up with about 10-15 minutes on the treadmill just to get my blood pumping and muscles warmed up. Then I will do my strength exercises. Then for a cool down I will do another 10-15 minutes on the treadmill and make sure I stretch really good when it's all done to try and lessen the soreness the next day.

CricketKate

I posted this same question about a week ago and it sparked a 2 page long debate. The people in favor of cardio first say that it is so the muscles will be warmed up to do the weights. The people in favor of weights first say that it is so you have to most energy to devote to your strength training. What I got out of the 2 page debate was to do what feels right for you.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/171746-cardio-vs-strength-training

That is the link to the thread I posted and all the info that was provided.

lildazey

I start with about 10 minutes cardio warm up, then do my strength training, then end with cardio. I read that if you do cardio before strength, you're muscles will be exhausted, not giving you the best workout.

barefootbeautiful

Both. Together, if you can. If you've never done strenth training, you'll learn fast that you can't do strengthening work effectively without having some stamina, which is, essentially, cardio. If you can do them together, even better.

It's going to depend on your goals too, although you may learn that to get to your goals, again, you'll want both. If you want to burn fat and keep the fat off, the most effective way in the long run is to build up your muslces, which will raise your metabolism. Cardio is a great way to get immediate results, especially if you want to burn fat, but is something that - to maintain a higher metabolism - you'll have to do regularly and consistently.

So again, I say both. But if you're unfamiliar, find a trainer. The quickest way to get hurt is to start without help. You don't have to stay with a trainer, but to learn the correct form, posture, and methods, you'll need someone who knows what they're doing. When you're comfortable, you can do it on your own. (It also helps with accountability).

barefootbeautiful

Sorry. NOW I get what you're asking. I thought it was a broader question. Always warm up before you strength train - ALWAYS. It is best to start with some stretching, and then increase your heart rate. You can even do this with a few simple pushups, a short track warm up - high knee runs back and forth across the room, butt kick running, etc. - but always warm up before you strength train.

atomdraco

This and the related articles may help you.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/338492-cardio-exercises-before-strength-training/

Exactly!

jybdrummer

I don't think you need to choose between strength training and cardio. Start with both. Go easy at first and build up to more strenuous workouts. I started out with a video workout called Slim-in-6. I chose this workout because it's starts slowly gets progressively harder. It also mixes cardio with light resistance training. The resistance training becomes and extension of your cardio workout. It helped me get in shape and move on to more demanding workouts. After I completed Slim-in-6 I graduated to the Body-by-Jake total body workout. I now work out at least an hour per day with a mix of cardio and light resistance training. My workouts consist of 30 minutes on the treadmill or elliptical followed by 30 minutes of resistance training using resistance bands.

I hope this helps and good luck!